June Has Come and Gone!

Hello Daylily Friends,

So much has happened this June.  First, our Sunday School Class came over, and we had a wonderful patio breakfast, and walked through the garden together, just enjoying the company of each other.  The next Saturday, on June 11, our Region 5 Annual Conference was held here in Cobb County.  We saw so many friends, we enjoyed the "Region Auction," and we certainly enjoyed the meals with everyone at the Hotel.  The third Saturday, on June 18, we had our joint "Daylily Show" with the Atlanta Club at the Galleria Mall.  Then, the following Saturday, June 25, we had our first "open sale" in the garden.  Again, friends from everywhere.  Yesterday, on Wednesday, June 29, we had our second and last open sale for this year in the garden.  I would emphasize that we have certainly enjoyed the visits of our friends, and among the friends who came yesterday were Mera Crews and Becky Parr from Birmingham, Alabama.  We were delighted that they drove such a distance to come and visit, and Diana and I had our picture taken with Mera and Becky.

At the sales table yesterday there was always plenty of conversation.  I took one picture where Diana looked at me as I snapped the shutter button.  In the same picture you can see our good friend Camilla Arthur who was obviously, genuinely astonished, at the information she was receiving from our daughter Kelley during their converation.  We have been so blessed to have so many friends help us with the open sale, and withour their help there would be no open sale.  I might also add that I learn much from our daylily friends.  They give me insight as to what my focus should be in my hybridizing work.

Speaking of my hybridizing work, my good friend Mera has encouraged three of her friends to purchase RED SAPPHIRE.  I am so delighted that Mera likes the RED SAPPHIRE, but I previously noted, sadly, that I had not made a new daylily using RED SAPPHIRE as a parent.  Then, this morning, there were two blooms that I had completely overlooked.  They come from a cross where I used RED SAPPHIRE as a pod parent, and the cross was as follows:  (Red Sapphire x Aerial Display).  I can't say that I understand how I obtained a dark eye and edge using the parents that I used, but there the new daylily is, with the dark and light colors.  The self is more cream yellow than the white shown in the picture.  I really like the throat.  I may use this daylily again, but then again, it may be registered and offered for sale.

Another daylily that I plan to introduct this coming season is Seedling 6-124, and the cross is as follows:  (Leslie Renee x Angels Gather Around).  It is a bi-tone, with a nice self, a lovely ruffle, and an engaging eye, with some sculpting.  This seedling is like several that I've had that I just believed were good seedlings, but I did not have the third lateral.  Then, this spring, after two stationary seasons, there was the third, and sometimes even a fourth lateral,  Patience is a virtue in trying to grow new introductions.  The measurements for 6-124 are on the photograph.

The third and final daylily that I want to mention, that I may also introduce this coming season, is Seedling 8-244.  The cross is as follows:  [(Grace 578 Seedling x Tet. Connie Burton) x Tet. (Last Midnight x Peppermint Delight)].  The Grace 578 Seedling had Tet. Siloam Ralph Henry in the parentage.  I converted the Tet. Connie Burton that I used, and the flower produced from the cross was beautiful, but very short.  My good friend Larry Grace crossed the diploids, Last Midnight and Peppermint Delight, and produced fine seedlings.  I was fortunate that Larry let me grow one of the seedlings which I ultimately converted.  This is the second half of the cross.  So, the cross actually contains four diploid conversions.  I should note that I initially grew 8-244 under a plastic hoop, and the measurements were astonishing.  I had a height of 35" inches, and  4-5 way branching.  I could never duplicate this without the plastic hoop.  Growing 8-244 under normal, north Georgia weather conditions, the measurements are different.  Only 32" in height, with 3-way branching.  So, I would think that 8-244 will do very well south of where I live here in north Georgia.  Sadly, 8-244 is a difficult, but not impossible pod parent.  This daylily pleads for introduction, and will probably have its way.

I've probably written too much for this session, but I "got going," and had to say what I said.  Thanks for reading this epistle.

Bill